Rumble on the Docks

On the waterfront in Brooklyn, attractive high school senior James Darren (as Jimmy Smigelski) saves a young woman from being raped by two hoodlums. Kissed and roughed-up, Laurie Carroll (as Della) is drawn to Mr. Darren. He is leader of the "Diggers" and his rival gang is called the "Stompers". Both are chump change when compared to big-time racketeer Michael Granger (as Joe Brindo). He lures Darren, a poor Polish student recently thrown out of his house, with $100 payments and a pretty blonde woman. When Darren is expected to lie under oath in a court case against Mr. Granger's organization, friends and relatives endeavor to turn him around. The unoriginal "Rumble on the Docks" looks like an attempt to merge James Dean with Marlon Brando. In his first film, Darren is obviously appealing. Producer Sam Katzman and director Fred F. Sears appear to be aiming squarely at the 1950s teen audience. Notorious actor Robert Blake (as Chuck) plays Darren's gang pal, but the one who really impresses is sneaky Don Devlin (as Wimpy). Freddie Bell and His Bellboys are a musical highlight.

****** Rumble on the Docks (12/12/56) Fred F. Sears ~ James Darren, Laurie Carroll, Michael Granger, Don Devlin

Even by 50s juv delinquent pic standards the acting of James Darren and (especially) Laurie Carroll, to mention nothing of the lifeless screenplay by Lou Morheim and Jack DeWitt and the even more somnolent camera of Fred Sears, is unacceptable. Always nice to see Bobby B as the defender of Womanhood, though, huh? D plus.

West Side Story took place in Manhattan; and this story takes place on the docks of Brooklyn. I grew up in Union City, less than a mile from Hoboken, where they filmed On the Waterfront, so I am quite familiar with life on the docks.

This film does not have the production values of West Side Story, or the emotional intensity of On The Waterfront, but it did capture the atmosphere of starting unions where the mob was entrenched. It took until Jimmy Hoffa until the mob was greatly reduced from the docks; and even then, they made Hoffa the foundation of Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands.

In this film, James Darren does his best James Dean imitation, while the crooked union boss, Timothy Carey does his Johnny Friendly imitation of Lee J Cobb. I noted that Robert Blake did not make a great impression in this film, but the talented Jimmy Carey was great as a heavy, and even better in Fargo.

The film has good scenes, some corny ones, and a few violent ones, but it holds up pretty well.

James Darren makes his film debut playing the typical mixed up kid from Brooklyn who eventually straightens himself out. Also, for a change, there are some actual rumbles, although only one of them is on the docks.

The film opens quickly with two members of the "Stompers" trying to assault a chick (Laurie Carroll), when two members of the "Diggers" (Darren and Robert Blake) save the day. Later, during a dance at the school gym, there is a full-scale rumble, ending with two cops running in the front door and everyone else running out the side entrances. Then there is a minor rumble on the docks, between an honest union leader (Joseph Vitale) and the hired muscle from the crooked union (Timothy Carey). Finally, there is a rumble between the Stompers and Diggers on a street. So if you like fights, you won't be disappointed.

In subplots, Darren is being smooth talked by the crooked union leader (Michael Granger, who, like Frank Gerstle, wears the worst fitting suits in the history of filmdom). This upsets Darren's father (Edgar Barrier), who runs a newspaper which is critical of Granger. Meanwhile, Carroll is trying to convert Darren from the dark side.

Carroll: "Oh, the waterfront's always so beautiful at night." Darren: "Yeah, you can't see the garbage floating in the water."

The film is never dull, and doesn't get too preachy either. There are even some shocking scenes, like when some of the Stompers suspend a kid over the side of a building.

Darren is fine in his first appearance, although his eyebrows look a little too furry. Carroll is bland. Robert Blake doesn't kill anybody, so I guess that's a plus. Granger channels Rod Steiger on a few occasions. Carey is his usual creepy self, and is fun to watch. Barrier looks more like Darren's grandfather, as he is disguised like Tim Conway's doddering old man. Celia Lovsky, as Darren's mother, looks more like his great-grandmother. I just cannot watch Lovsky without seeing pointed ears and hearing her tell Captain Kirk "dis fight is to da deadth." Freddie Bell and the Bellboys sing "Get the First Train out of Town" during the dance. After watching them perform, I probably would have started a rumble myself.

If there's such a thing as a parallel universe, this is the campy, boring, egregious version of Kazan's classic. It's all here: A gang named Stompers and a gang named Diggers. They're unrealistically entwined with non-union dockworkers versus the alternative.

There's the quintessential, immigrant parents of the male lead. There's the stereotypical, female love interest. There's even the pre-pubescent kid that gets the plot rolling in the first 15 minutes.

Robert Blake has a minor role. I'm so sorry Hell Town was canceled.